by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Welcome to the Buried Treasure of the Streaming World! This series takes a month’s worth of content at a time and sifts out the buried treasure that exists on all forms of streaming. These films most likely fly under the radar but now it is time to shine that spotlight on them and give them the attention they truly deserve. Time to dive in, shall we?
Compartment No. 6 (8/10) – VOD
How do you earn the entry for Finland going into the Academy Awards? Offering up a moving and unique human drama on a train; that is how! Compartment No. 6 is not your standard romance. We find a woman on a train after a fiery and enigmatic affair in Moscow. She is lonely and disconnected. Wandering for purpose and place. But she finds an unlikely connection in the form of a Russian miner. Their tender connection is worth experiencing in this stark, yet hopeful drama. This is not quite the full-blown romance that some might want to seek out, but they do develop a moving and engaging relationship worth watching.
Flux Gourmet (7/10) – VOD
Who out there gets horny about food? Yeah… it is a weird question, but so is this film! Peter Strickland delivers a darkly funny and grotesque experience in the form of Flux Gourmet. When a tense band of artists and food aficionados find their way into an institute focusing on experimental food expression, things get out of hand with plenty of power struggles and seduction along the way. Gwendoline Christie gets to flex her acting muscles post-Game of Thrones, as she brings enigmatic leader Jane Stevens to life. This is certainly not for everyone, as there are equal parts biting social commentary regarding sexism and farting and pooping. Go figure. This film is unabashedly arthouse and might check off some boxes for your cinephiles out there.
The Janes (8/10) – HBO Max
This is the timeliest of entries in this article. In the weeks before Roe v. Wade was repealed, HBO Max delivered this new documentary about the work done for women who sought abortions in a pre-Roe landscape. Some of these stories are extremely hard to listen to, as they depict graphic tales of botched procedures done in clandestine places. This might be a standard form of documentary from a technical standpoint, but the stories elevate the emotions, and the film balances a tightrope of tone (there are some genuinely funny moments along the way). The Janes offers up an engaging and timely experience that will make you strongly feel no matter what side of the aisle that you are from.
George Carlin’s American Dream (9/10) – HBO Max
How was this man so funny? Not only that, how did George Carlin become so prophetic? American Dream is a documentary in epic scale and runtime that finds Judd Apatow in a unique and exciting time. One of his best directorial efforts, period, this HBO documentary is a sprawling and engaging project from Apatow that does justice for one of the greatest comedians of all time. Carlin’s personality jumps off the screen and delivers plenty of laughs over the three-plus hour journey this film takes you on. At times, the documentary can be deeply emotional and moving, and at others, it will shake you to the core, due to how insightful Carlin’s perspective of the world was. The finale of this epic cinematic experience will leave you floored in the best way, and I can guarantee that you will learn quite a bit along the way too.
Lux Æterna (6/10) – VOD
Is it time for a Gaspar Noé warning? Noé is one of the most bold and controversial filmmakers working today, and Lux Æterna is quite the unique experience. This film does not even reach the one-hour mark, but it will pack a punch. This is a tale of two parts. One is a behind-the-scenes peek at actors being actors, anchored by a charismatic and engaging pair in Beatrice Dalle and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Noé’s perspective of how artists operate is biting and confident. Then there is part two… this is the most oppressive cinematic experience since… well, Noé’s own Climax. This will certainly not be for all, but there is something special to take in from a filmmaking perspective.
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